Laval QC ☕ The morning rundown
Good morning,
Today, we look at Laval’s award-winning tap water, a dramatic duplex rescue in Pont-Viau, the Roses securing a spot in the final, and a new Nike athletic camp coming to town. We also catch up on news from further afield, including the sale of CF Montréal and a province-wide student strike.
The short version
- Laval tap water earns top honours at Quebec’s Best Water Competition: The Chomedey plant took second place in the Jury Prize, while the Pont-Viau facility tied for third in the People’s Choice category.
- Firefighters rescue resident from suspicious Pont-Viau blaze: Crews pulled a man from the second floor of a duplex on Cousineau Street on Saturday evening.
- Montreal Roses advance to Northern Super League final: A 2-2 draw against Vancouver Rise FC at Stade Boréale sends the squad to Ottawa this Saturday to face AFC Toronto.
- Nike Sport Performance Camp opens in Laval: Young athletes aged 8 to 17 can train with Quebec champion Whitney Baille starting November 15.
Close to Home
- Espace Montmorency certified as Quebec’s largest Zero Carbon Building project: The 1.3-million-square-foot complex has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90%.
- Cigarette fire in a 13-storey Chomedey tower: Laval firefighters remind the public never to discard cigarette butts in potting soil.
- Armed assault at Le Shaker in Centropolis: A man in his thirties suffered injuries from an edged weapon early Monday morning.
- Laval Police Service releases its 2027 canine unit calendar for sale: Every year, the City of Laval supports people living with the effects of a head injury by releasing a calendar featuring the dogs from its police service.
- CHOC launches domestic violence prevention campaign: The Laval organisation aims to involve close contacts and relatives of perpetrators.
Across Canada
- Ottawa spent $19 billion on external consultants last year: The total is virtually unchanged from the previous year.
- Saputo family puts CF Montréal up for sale: The move comes after three decades of ownership.
- Stellantis sells Brampton assembly plant to Canadian defence firm Roshel: Stellantis announced the sale of its Brampton assembly plant to the Canadian defense technology company Roshel.
- Honda to build a new plant in Ohio after dropping a similar plan in Ontario: Honda announced on Monday the construction of a new factory in Ohio, which will be able to produce up to 240,000 vehicles per year.
Top Story
Laval’s tap water stands out at Quebec’s Best Water Competition
Laval turned in a strong showing at the Concours de la meilleure eau du Québec, held last month during the 2026 Water Management Symposium. The Chomedey drinking water treatment plant captured second place in the Jury Prize rankings, finishing behind Sainte-Foy. Meanwhile, the Pont-Viau treatment plant tied with Trois-Rivières to take third place in the People’s Choice category.
A panel of industry specialists and water-quality experts conducted blind tastings to assess each sample based on taste, clarity, and odour. The evaluation criteria were designed and supervised by an oenologist and sensory analysis specialist who co-founded the competition.
Among the 15 treatment facilities competing for the Jury Prize, Pont-Viau placed fifth overall. It proved even more popular with symposium attendees, climbing onto the People’s Choice podium just behind Windsor’s Marcel Bédard facility and L’Assomption’s Jean Perrault plant. Chomedey, which won the public vote in 2024, came in fourth this year.
In detail
Man rescued from suspicious duplex fire in Pont-Viau
Laval firefighters had to pull a trapped resident from a burning two-storey duplex during a suspicious blaze on Saturday, November 7. Emergency services received the call at approximately 6:14 p.m. for a property on Cousineau Street, just north of Lévesque Boulevard.
The first of 26 responding firefighters reached the scene within three minutes, finding heavy fire on parts of the upper floor and roofline. Alerted that someone remained inside, crews quickly located and rescued a resident trapped on the second floor. Other teams confirmed that the home’s smoke alarm was non-functional before ensuring the rest of the building was fully cleared.
Four residents have been temporarily displaced, and paramedics from Urgences-santé treated two individuals for significant smoke inhalation. With damages estimated at roughly $40,000 to the structure and $5,000 to contents, the fire department deemed the cause suspicious and transferred the investigation to the Laval Police Service.
Montreal Roses secure spot in Northern Super League final
In front of a home crowd at Stade Boréale in Laval, the Montreal Roses punched their ticket to the Northern Super League women’s soccer final on Sunday. A hard-fought 2-2 draw against Vancouver Rise FC in the second leg of the semi-final was enough to seal their progression.
Carrying a 3-0 advantage from the opening leg, Montreal claimed the aggregate tie 5-2. The team now heads to Ottawa with hopes of lifting a second piece of silverware this season, having already captured the Supporters’ Shield.
Following a lively opening stretch, Noémi Paquin put the Roses ahead in the 39th minute with a fine strike. Vancouver answered almost immediately when Jessica De Filippo levelled the match in the 41st minute, followed by a Latifah Abdu goal in first-half stoppage time to put the visitors ahead. Montreal regrouped after the break, and Lisa Pechersky finished off an impressive setup from Tanya Boychuk in the 77th minute to equalize and secure aggregate victory.
The result extends Montreal’s unbeaten streak to 12 matches. The championship match is set for this Saturday in Ottawa against AFC Toronto.
Nike Sport Performance Camp launches in Laval for young athletes
Sports Camps Canada is expanding its local programming through a new collaboration with Phoenix MMA & Fitness, DOD-Basketball, and DOD-Sports. The Nike Sport Performance Camp will run out of facilities at 2511 Le Corbusier Boulevard.
Targeted at youth aged 8 to 17, the camp blends athletic conditioning with martial arts-inspired training. Sessions will be led by Quebec champion and former professional fighter Whitney Baille alongside a roster of coaches.
The curriculum concentrates on building endurance, power, speed, agility, and mental resilience. Campers will also learn essential boxing fundamentals, including stance, combinations, defense, and footwork. “I don’t just want you to learn how to box,” Baille noted in the programme description. “I want you to understand what it takes to become a champion, both in the ring and in life.”
The six-week clinic takes place on Sundays from November 15 to December 20. Participants aged 8 to 12 will train from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., while the 13-to-17 age group follows from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Additional six-week blocks are scheduled for January and April.
Nearly 75,000 Quebec students walk out on strike this week
Around 75,000 college and university students across Quebec are taking part in strike actions this week, calling for tangible government measures to address austerity and financial hardship.
Campuses participating in the walkout include Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Université du Québec à Rimouski, several faculties at Université de Sherbrooke and Université Laval, alongside Cégep de Drummondville and Cégep de Maisonneuve.
Organizers maintain that the strike is aimed at securing immediate, concrete solutions for student precariousness.
Coup de Coeur
Seeing Laval’s tap water recognized among the best in the province is a quiet point of local pride. Behind those podium finishes are the daily dedication and precision of plant operators and water technicians ensuring every glass is safe and fresh. It is behind-the-scenes work that deserves all the credit.
Before you go
Here is hoping your Tuesday goes smoothly from start to finish. Enjoy a fresh glass of water, keep the coffee warm, and travel safely today. See you tomorrow! ☕